A Platte County man has been charged with a hate crime for assaulting a man who tried to break up a fight between him and his father.

Albert L. Strutton Jr., 27, of Northmoor, is charged with 2nd Degree Domestic Assault for the fight with his father, and 3rd Degree Assault Motivated By Discrimination for allegedly punching another man because of his race.

The assaults allegedly occurred at a cookout arranged to celebrate Strutton’s parole.

The incident may also amount to a violation of his parole. If convicted on all charges, Strutton faces up to 22 years in prison.

According to court documents, witnesses say Strutton is a skinhead and has Nazi tattoos.

Authorities allege that Strutton became upset during the cookout at 5101 NW Waukomis February 16, when his father paid a compliment to an African American man. As he punched his father, the other man tried to intervene. Strutton then allegedly yelled a racial slur and hit the second man. A witness says Strutton also threatened to slit another person’s throat and kill his family.

“Missouri’s hate crime statute provides longer prison terms for assaulting someone because of the victim’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or disability. In this case, we allege the defendant beat another man because of his race,” Platte County prosecuting attorney Eric Zahnd said.

Strutton was charged as a prior and persistent offender as a result of prior convictions for felony assault of a law enforcement officer, felony resisting arrest, and felony forgery committed in 2003. If convicted, Strutton faces up to 15 years in prison for domestic assault, and up to seven years in prison for third degree assault as a hate crime.